Apparatus for and method of renewing oil wells



Oct- 27 1.925-

I I. L.- DUNN APPARATUS Fox AND METHOD ow RENEWING' OIL WELLS 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Jan. 5, 1925 Oct. 27 1925- L. DUNN APPARATUS FOB AND METHOD owRENEWING OIL WELLS m 2 mm a m g 5 I m M m I 2 Filed Jag Patented Oct.'21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

IRWIN L. was, or MARIE 'TA, om assmnon To TIDAL-IDUNN COMPANY, or TULSA,OKLAHOMA, A conrona'rrou or OKLAHOMA.

arrazaarus son, AND METHOD or annnwme on. WELLS.

Application niea muar 5,1925. Serial no. 564.

ful Improvements in Apparatus for and 5 Methods of Renewing Oil Wells,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improved plant or system of apparatus for,and improved method of, renewing oil wells by the removal of naturaldetritus or dbris with which such wells become clogged after periods of"use, in consequence of which they either entirely cease to flow orproduce oil,

or can be pumped only at prohibitive expense, at great loss to theirowners and to thedisadvantage of thepublic in the mate rial reduction ofoil supply which arises from this condition due itself to uncontrolla-This invention and discovery consists, in substance, as to itsmechanical branch, of a portable plant composed ofiseveral appara tuswhich in their aggregate constitutes system or layout; such plant orsystem comprising a portable motor for the development of power, aportable air compressor operable by such motor, a portable pressure tankpreferably adapted to contain water in large quantity and air underpressure, a traction or hauling means, mechanical or animal, a portablewinch, a portable pulling machine or derrick, a portable combined hammerand fluid introducing element. These several portable apparatus may begiven the capacity of mobility. or portability through the,

medium of one whee'ledchassis on which the several apparatus aremounted, or may be mounted on separable chassis 1n the sense that one onmore of these major units will "be carried onan individual chassis.

'llt eonsists,as to the method branch. of the 'preseiiceofa quantity ofwater or oil more "or less submer ing the detritus or debris down in thewe I; the application of heavy blows by a hammering instrumentalityagainst such detritus or debris; the intro duction against and among thedetritus or ,dbris-of a pressure medium,:prefe'rably atmospheric air,under high pressure, to carry the broken fragments with quantities ofthewater, upward, through and ou'tof the well;

in supplying further charges of water if the quantity of dbris ordetritus'requir'es;

and-in introducing into the well, under pressure, washing-out water, oilor other fluid to finally cleanse the interior of the we'll.

The portablesysten'l or plant above set forth and the methodabove'recited have been put to actual, practical use in renewing oilwells with satisfactory, practical results performed efficiently andeconomically.

Under the old system in which it was and is the custom to clean outwells when they are in the condition referred to by means of the usualcable tools or drill outfit, whereby the material was slowly loosenedand then had to be bailed out with the ordinary type of oil well baileror sand pump, the work was slowly and inefficiently done. It hasgenerally takenfrom ten to twelve days, for instance, to clean out awell of say one thousand feet or so of depth at an expense ranging fromfive hundred dollars to twelve hundred dollars. The time thus consumedand the resultant expense have operated to deter well owners inthousands and thousands of instances, and are so operating, fromundertaking the work of cleaning out their wells in viewof the risk thatthere-flow or yield of oil or reduction in pumping expense would notpossibly be adequate to compensate them for this risked expense; But inthose cases where the operators'were willing to assume the chance, stillthe time and cost have been and are great.

By reason of the practical application and use of my improved system orplant and my method above'set forth, I have ascertained the fact to bethat such wells as required ten to twelve days by the old method requirefrom a few hours to two days, at an expense to the well owner of fromthirty dollars to two hundred dollars by my method.

. Among the factors which contribute to this quick cleaning or renewingof the wells and this low cost are these: that one plant or system,because of its portability, is capable of moving quickly from well towell orfrom groups of wells in one territory to groups of wells in otherterritories, some miles away,

and so the investment in one "plant becomes I in the breaking down ofthe detritus or the process is slow and expensive; not all the loosematerial can be removed from the well; production is lost during thetime the well is being cleaned out; if the well has been vacuum pumpedthe inrush of airoften draws the mud, sand, parafiin and water into thepores of the sand and clogs them to such I an extent that at timesthegproduction is lessened rather than increased; 0 A nrnsh of air mayovercome the effects of vacu' for many days and cause not only the loss0 production iior the period during the time" the well is belng cleanedout, but for many days thereafter.

In the accompanyin drawings, I have illustrated the preferre plan ofconstituting the portable system or plant. In these drawin s': J

igure 1 'is a side elevation of one embodiment of my plant orsystem ofapparatus showing it mounted on two transporting units.

F igure 2 is a detail view illustrating one mode of operating the aircompressor, the

winch and the traction wheels and one trans-v I porting unit, all bymeans of the truck motor. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of an oil well with mycombined hammer and pressure fluid conduit, as also the casing andhoodshown in section; the lines or arrows pointing downward within theconduit showing the direction of blows and passage of the pressure fluidintothe well, and thelines or arrows' pointing upward showing thefragments of detritus'or dbris Withthe pressure medium and more or lesswater discharging upwardoutof the .well.

Figure 4 1S a similar sectional view throu h a well showing thehammering instrumentality at the upper end of a stroke a and about -tobe brought down to efiecta blow .upon the detritus or debris. I v J I "Ishall first describe that branch of m'y'invention which relates to theplant or system of machines, and after that will set forth the methodbranch because in that we. I deem the method will be the. more readi yunderstood.

Let it be assumed that an oil well indi- .oated by the numeral 1 hasbeen in use and hasreached a stage of disuse because of the collectionwithin it of detritus or debris which through natural processes will'iiievitably gather in these wells and prevent or hinder the furtherflow of oil or cause prohibitive pumping expense by reason of sand orother particles'getting into the pumping mechanism and cutting out thecups or other parts. The problem is to effectively, cheaply and rapidlyremove all of this accumulation. For this purpose my improved plant isbrought up to such a well. The elements of the plant or system ofapparatus include the combined hammer and pressure fluid con- 'dl1lt,indicated at 2, which is in the nature .of a line of pipes of sufiicientlength to extend down "into the well, and capable of being lengthened byadditional sections through the use of appropriate couplings, asindicated at 3. The lower end of this conduit is e nipped with} hammer,designated .4, forme of a heavy shell of steel with its lower end moreor less sharpened by means -bcvel 5, and screwed orotherwise. se-

with-a. swiv'eledbail 6 adapted to raise the hammer conduit bymeansofthe cable 7; and

o'athe lower section of the conduit. 'thetuppenend' the conduit isequipped to permit it to violently dro' tostrike the:,-r' necessaryblows when the cab e is slackened. To-these ends a derrick 8 isset up,near and over the well. It has transportin wheels 8 aand'may be con ledwith one o the other portable unitsw en the plant is to be moved om one.locality g to another.; Suitable sheaves 9"aie mountediQn-ime derrick tosup-' port the cable 10'whichi runs about a sheave 11 connected with thebailf6;i'-A winch 12 is also mounted on the derrick-and operated in anyconvenient manner, so that 'the"winchis'operated'to causeithe cable tolift the hammer conduit and permit it to quickly and violentldroptoeffect the requisite blows fra ments. I

The hammer conduit is further equippedv with a swiveled elbow cohplin 14to which is attached a hose line 15 w ic is supplied with'the pressuremedium or use inconnection with the hammer in dislodging anddisturbing-the detritus or dbris, and for discharging the brokenparticles upward through the well, acfii'iipanied by more'x-l or lesswater and any oil that might happen to be present during the period 0renewing the well.

though in some cases there might -'be' availutilized as such medium.

The hose line-15 connects with a source of supply. of the ressuremedium, in referring ,t0-Whl0h 1 sha use'tlie term air as all com-'pressure medium isx preferablyj; air

able quantities-of natural'gas that eould be 1-10 on the etritus ordebris to break it up into I the tank through a coupling 23; while theother branch connects with a water line formed of a hose or pipe 24which enters the storage tank at 25 and is equipped with Mia-0a 26. Thetank contains a quantity of water used to resupply the quantity neededinv the well for use in. connection with the disintegration of thedetritus or debris and for the elevation and discharge of the same fromthe well by means of the pressure medium as will presently more fullyappear;

and suflicient for use also in carrying out the washing step of mymethod in which the ,well is to be thoroughly washed out as thelast'step'j in effecting its renewal.

To this end the storage tank is equipped with a pam preferably a .powerpump comprising la pump proper designated 27 and an engine indicated at28, preferably operable by compressed air supplied by the tank 16 andsuitably connected to the pump to effect its operation. A common base 29car-v ries the power pump elements and is mounted on the tank or tankchassis. A water supply pipe 30 is led 06' from the pump to such supplyas may be available-a stream or well, for instance.

A gas burner or other heating device 31 is properly positioned toei'lectthe heating'of the storage tank. As shown, a natural gas linepipe 32 is indicated and is connected with the burner by a controlledmiX-.

er 33. In thisway the water is heated, when required, for use in thewashing-out step,

whereby it may be made'e fi'ective for. dissolving any parafiin or othercongealed substance "that might later interfere with the free low of theoil. p p

The air is supplied to the tank and put 'under the desired pressure bymeans of a portable air compressorcon'nected with the tank through anairline comprising a pipe 34 in communication with-the interior of thetank and having a'cut-ofi 35 to close the,

communication when the requisite or maximum v pressure desired shallhave been reached This line extends to the compressorfas indicated at36, e

This compressor is preferably of the twostage type, having a lowpressurecylinder 37 and a high pressure cylinder 38 to which latter the air line34 is connected at" 36.

I shall not go into the details otthe con- .wise supplied.

It is further H mer conduit is the preferred'mean ofso in struction ofthe compressor as any suitable machine of this character may be used. I

eludes acooling water tank 39 and a radiator 40 to supply and circulatecooling water. Circulating pipes 41, 42 and 43 connectthe tank andradiator and the water jackets of -will add, however, that this powerplant inthe compressor with the water tank. A ro- I tary pump 44performs the oflice of circulating the cooling water throughtheseinstrumentalities. This pump is driven by a belt 45 operated by apulley 46 on the compressor driven shaft 47 which also carries a pulley48 and a-balance wheel 49. .The pulley 48 I carries the driving belt 50which itself is driven by a pulley 51 on thepower shaft 13.

.This power shaft is suitably coupled with the transmission shaft 52 ofthe motor of any conventional type mounted ontthe chassis 53" 7 withinthe hood 54. A lever 55 is usedto,

operate a clutch 55 to connect thepo'wer shaft 13 with either thesprocket wheel 57 j to, drive the rear chassis'wheels'or the pulley 51which operates thebeltlfiO to actuate the compressor. Toefiectaconnection between the transmission shaft 52 and the power shaft 13,bevel gears1'3 and 13" are used. A- lever 56 is used in the common wayof shifting the transmission shaft into gear connection with the engineshaft through the medium of the clutch. Traction wheels 61 are'carrieclbythe axle 60and" operated i by this chain and sprocketgearinlg andserve to support therear end ofthe chassis while forward ground wheels62 support the other end and aresteered in the conventional way byiasteering column and wheel 63. A seat 64 and top 65'completepthe truckstructure. The derrick or the pulling out mechanism is rendered portableby being temporarily mounted near the wells and attachable to,

say the portable tank unit.

The hammer device is made portable on withdrawal from the well as bybeing placed on one of the chassis.

It is further to be understood that the air under pressure in the potable tank 16 acts to press the water out of the tank and. through theintermediate c nections down into the well to further supp y it mithwater during the-.tdisintegrationop'eration as al o to finally wash outthe'well after the detti:

tus-anddbris havcbeen removed; or the further supplies of water beforeor during the disintegrating operations may" be. otherto be observed 'tI trod-ucing into the ,well these further sup-F plies 0t water and thefinal washing-out I The hood indicated at 1 in Figure. 1', and which ismade the'subject of one or more claims in my co pending application.Serial No. 744,675, fild October .20, 1924, is

'used to deflect the upwardflying detritus or dbris downward into pilesto prevent possible injury to attendants or crops grow- "ing near thewell.

. It is still furtherto be understood that the pressure fluid as air, orin some cases gas, which passes down through the hammer conduit into andamon st the detritus or dbris, indicated generally by the numeral 67,

aids in the loosening up of the materiahand unit is portable on', andloperable 'by the operable by the power plant and pre truck and itsmotor. To enable this portable unit to carry the portable storage tankunit with it from place to place and to properly )sition it at timeswhen wells are being treated, a suitable coupling indicated at 66 isemployed. A compressor capable of putting the air under a pressure offour hundred pounds to the square-inch, I have found effective inoperating on wells of fit teen hundred feet depth. But of course, thesize and capacity of the compressor will vary in the different-plants orsystems according to what may be necessary in the par.- ticular cases ofuse. I

It will now be seenfith at my traveling system of machinery c m rises aportable hammer-conduit actuator pm the nature of a pulling machineunit;f"a portable power plant preferably having the capacity. "ofself-propulsion by traction means}? such plant functioning to furnishthe power for the other units; a portable compresso nit mounted on theplant chassis; a, pressure tank transportable with power plant andhaving detachable connections with the portable hammer conduit'*'nn'itand with the portable compressor unit, whereby such tank is suppliedwith air orfother pressure medium under high pressurewhich may befurnished through said connections to the hammer conduit; and that suchportable tank is-equipped-with pumpingmechanismto supply itwith water-whch is put under pressure, by the contained air or pressure medium -wh1chcauses the water to pass through a suitable .conneetion tothe hammer.-conduit for the purposes before stated.

These several units-portable, hammer conduit, portable actuatortherefor, portable I *flpower plant, portable compressor unit,

'ortable airand'water storage unlt, and,

' t e variousconnections 'for the transmis-,

sion of power and for conducting the pressure medium or compressed anand the water under pressurefrom one unit to the other -arecharacterized. by their ready 'vention.'-

portability and readiness of use on and adaptability to oil wellsvariously scattered and in varying conditionsof depth and causes ofnon-use; and that by reason of;

their combined mobilityand ready adaptation to meet the varyingscattered conditions pertaining from well to well, I have produced aneffective system of apparatus for the thorough and quick renewal of oilwells .by the disintegration of their contained accumulated detritus ordbris and the excavation of the fragments of the same from'the wells andthe final cleansing of the well bores and pockets-all to the end ofeconomically and quickly reconditioning the wells to enable the reflowof the oil into' them and its subsequent withdrawal from the,

wells to the profit of, the operators and the benefit of the public inthe increased procarryl the broken fra ments wit quantities of t ewater-upwar through and out of the well; in supplying further charges ofwater when and as required by the'amount and condition of the detritusor dbris; and

in introducing into the well, under pressure, washing-out water tofinally cleanse the interior of the well; the introduction of thepressure medium being performed by pref- ;erence concurrentlywith-theadminlstering ofthe hammering blows against the detritus ordbris, so as to add-the'disturbing force ofthis blast to those of thehammeririig action as well as to gather up and carry 0 up through thewelthe loosened fragments as they result from the blows. A ain,"

theblows are intermittent while-the, last is continuous so that no timeis lostin. the attackon and ldosening disturbance of the detritusor-dbris. y In'the practical use of this method amon existing we'lls cloged or partially clo go with detritus or bri's in oil fields I ave:tound'it to-be efiective and efiicient; and I am enabled to put thismethod into quick operation from well to well by reason ofthe readymobility of an operating plant or systemof-machinery .suc jor instance,as set forth herein as constituting an embodiment of the mechanicalbranch of this 'in- As further explanatory of my method and theincidents that. arise in-connection with its practical application, Iwould say that in cleaning out a well I lower the tubing or.

a or other liquid. If, on the other hand, the

. terials.

hole is filled up with a considerable depth of oil or water the excessliquids must be bailed, pumped or preferably blown'from the well beforethe detritus can be blown out effectively. When it has been ascertainedthat the proper conditions exist in the well, the air or gas. under highpressure is turned suddenly into the pipe or tubing and emer ing at "thebottom against the detritus, it blows it and the water or oil up and outof. the annular space between the tubing and the walls of the hole orthe casing that lines the walls of the hole. As'the detritus is blownout, I lower the pipe or tubing until it is necessary to put onadditional lengths of tubing or pipe, whereupon I shut off the supply ofcompressed air or gas and screw on additional lengths of pipe or tubingand introduce more water or other cleansing liquids if such is foundnecessary, and these operations are continued until the bottom of thehole has been reached and the well has been thoroughly cleaned ofdetritus.

At times the tubing o'rpipe may be' low-,

ered too far into the detritus so that the air pipe or tubing isclogged. I then raise the pipe or tubing until the plug can be blownout. At other times large pieces of rockare found'in the hole and I thenraise the pipe or tubing and drop it upon the rock and break it intosmaller fragments which can be blown out of the hole. At other times theoil sand takes the compressed air or gas so freely that the pressure islowered until the detritus cannot be blown from the well effectively. Ithen pour more water or other fluid into the hole which penetrates andpartially clogs the pores .of the sand so that by quickly applying thepressure the detritus can be blown from the hole.

After the detritus has been blown out of the hole and the bottom isreached, I then wash the well pit thoroughly with water or othercleansing fluid. When the sand is clogged with paraflin I may introducehot.

water. preferably salt water, and force it into the well-to help meltthe paraffin, or I may use hot crude oil or oil products, or I mayintroduce steam into the well and blow out the melted paraffin andobstructive ma- After the well is cleaned out satisfactorily the pumpingmechanismis put. in again and the .well is ready to produce. If theordinary deep well plunger pump isbeingused, I. use the tubing with aworking barrel at the proper place near the bottom to clean outthe wellswith and then introduce the .at less cost. I also find that the air orgas under high pressure suddenly applled against the face of the-oilsand enters the pores of the sand and builds up a local pressure aroundthe-hole so that when the pressure is relieved in the well a few minuteslater, this compressed air or gas in the pores of the sand reacts toforce its way violently back into the hole, cleaning the pores of mud,paraffin and other obstructive material.

I would observe that while I have referred to the hammer conduitinstrumentality as itself portable, still there may be cases where thisinstrumentality or parts of it, unless it be the hammer itself, arefound on the premises or may be made up there. It is in this sense thatthe term portability in respect to this feature isto be understood;

In cases where the wells are more particularly clogged with caved-insand or other comparatively soft material, as distin-.

gui'shed from rock, I find it feasible to strike lighter blows, or evento let the hammer conduit settle down into this softer material as it isblown out by the pressure medium.

'This mode of operation is intended to:be comprehended in the referencesto the function-andpurpose of thehammer conduit, for whether the descentof this instrumentality into the clogging detritus or debrisisaccomplished by a succession of blows as'in most instances, or. by asinking effect through such obstructions as would permit of this, is,

not material.

It is further to be observed that the pressure medium acts also as adisintegrating agent in those cases where the clogging material is softenough to yield to it. p

I also find that the violent blast of flair and water against the 'face'of theoil sand,

rock in the well will often dislodge fractured parts of the sand rockand give a fresh face freed from paraffin, gypsum'or other mineralmatter v. that may have been deposited in the pores of on the face ofthe sand rock and which obstructed the fiowof oil into the hole,

tween the compressor and the conduit .by which the pressure isintroduced into the well is an important factor in the practicaltransportation and operation of my'plant or system, The reason of thisis that such. intervention of the pressure tank affords means forstoring the air, gas or other medium under pressure, 350 to 600 -lbs.-to the 120, I would further observe that the. inter- I y'ention of thepressure medium tank be square inch or. generally 450 lbs. to the squareinch, and in volume suflicient to] operate rapidly and successfully onthe detritus or'jdbris-in the well yet with the use of a compressor unitof restricted weight, say something like five tons, to come within thelimits of what-is portable under practical oil field conditions. By thisintervention of the tank to so obtain the pressure and'volume required Ican and do use an entire portable compressor, of something like fivetons weight as inst stated. But for. such tank the compressor would haveto be of such weight and capacity as to preclude the feasibility ofportability 'besides adding such an item of cost as would beobjectionableto the buyer.

Again, the feature ofthe portable connection, in the nature of the hoseline 15 before referred to,-between the air tank and the conduit bywhich fie pressure medium is introduced into the ell. is a highly usefulfeature in this association. of mechanism because of its readyapplication and its capacity to accommodate extreme up and downmovements, and to permit the lowering of the pressure conduit deep downin thewell.

And again, when' the well has been freed of the detritus or dbris and isto be washed out, the pressure medium, as :the air, in the tank,not-only discharges water therefrom,

under pressure sufiicient to give the water the requisite force toviolently attack the interior of. the well for cleansing purposes,

- butalso aerates the water to such a degree that two results follow,namely, first, a

subject=matter segregated from .its'associa-- tion with the othermechanism and method, steps set. forth herein.

. It will-be understood that I desire to comprehend within my inventionsuch modifications as may be necessary to adapt it-to varying conditionsarid uses.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto'secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. A portable well renewingsystem com- J prising the following elements:portable hammer and pressure medium conduit instrumentahties msertable1n andr removable from a well and adapted to deliver blows and'pressurefluid to disintegrate and discharge from the well detritus anddbris;portable actuating mechanism for such instrumentalities; a portablepower unit; a portable compressor unit; a portable, pressure medium tankunit; connection between such tank unit and said compressor unit; andpower-transmitting mechanism between the power unit and the compressorunit.

2. A, portable well renewing system comprising the following elements:portable hammer and pressure medium conduit instrumentalities insertablein and removable from a well and adapted to deliver blows and pressurefluid to disintegrate and discharge from the well detritus and debris;portable actuating mechanism for such instrumentalities; a portablepower unit; a

portable compressor unit; a portable pressure medium tank unit;connections between such tank unit and the pressuremediummstrumentality; and other connections between said tank and saidcompressor unit;

pumping mechanism to supply said tank with water and a connection toconvey water to said tank from a well, and powerst-rans mittingmechanism between the power plant and the compressor unit.

3. A-portable well renewing system comprising the following elements: aportable hammer conduit instrumentality adapted to be inserted in andremoved from a well to deliver blows and pressure fluid to disintegrateand discharge from the well detritus and debris; a portable actuatingmechanism for such instrumentality including a cable, a winchto operatethe cable to cause the instrumentality to strike blows a portable powerunit including a chassis, tractor and guiding wheels, a motor, and meansto operate the traction wheels; a portable compressor "mounted on saidchassis and operable by said motof; a tank chassis including a frame andkgroundwheels, a storage tank mounted thereon and thus. made portable, apipe line connection between said tank and compressor,

and another pipe line connection "between the tank andthepre'ssuremedium instru-' mentality. g

4:. A portable well renewing system comprising the following elements;va portable hammer conduit instrumentality adapted to be inserted in andremoved from a well to deliver blows and pressure fluid to disintegrateanddischarge from the well detritus and debris; a portable actuatingmechanism for such instrumentalityincluding a cable, a

winch to operate thecable to cause the instrumentality to strike blows;a portable power unit including'a chassis, tractor and guiding wheels, amotor, and means to operate the traction wheels; a portable compressormounted on said chassis and operable by said motor; a tankchassisincluding a frame and ground wheels, a storage tank mounted thereon andthus made portable, .a

pipe line Connection between said tank and compressor, and'another pipeline connection between the tank and the pressure me-- diuminstrumentality, a power pump carried by the tank chassis and adapted tosupply the tank with water from a water supply,

and a pipe connection between the water in the tank and the well todeliver washing-out water thereto.

5. A portable well renewing vsystem comprising the following elements aportable hammer conduit adapted to be inserted into and removed from awell and adapted to deliver blows and pressure fluid to disintegrateanddischarge from the well. detritus and dbris,-a portable actuatortherefor comprising a derrick, cable, winch and power drive forthecable; a portable power unit comprising a wheeled tractor chassis andmotor; a portable compressor unitmounted on said power chassis; powertransmitting devices from saidlmotor to impart traction movement and todrive saij compressor a portable storage tank comprising a tank proper,a chassis therefor and transporting wheels; a powerpumpcarried bysaidchassis and adapted to charge the tank with water from a supply;means to heat the water in the tank; pipe connections between the-tankand the compressor; other pipe connections between the tank and thehammer conduit and a branch connectionbetween the water in the tank andthe last-named pipe connection. 4

6, A portable well renewing'system comprising the following elements: aportable hammer conduit adapted to be inserted into and removed fromawell, a' hammer device at one end and a-swivel. connection at the other;a portable actuator therefor comprising aderrick, a cable connected tosaid swivel connection and a winch; a portable power unit comprising. ao Wheeled chassis and a motor; a portable two-stage compressor mountedon said power chassis; powertransmitting devices operable by said motorto propel the chassis, operate thecornpressorand the actuator cable; aportable air and water storage tank comprisin ,50 r

a tank p roper and a wheeled chassis there or; a power pump to supplysaid tank with water from the water supply; a pipe connection betweenthe tank and compressor; an-v other pipe connection between the tank andthe hammer conduit, and a branch connection between said last-named pipeconnection and the water in the tank, and means to heat such water, allforthe purpose described, v

7. In a portable well renewing system, the

' combination with a pressure tank, of a hammer conduit, made ofattachable sectionsand' adapted to operate down in an oil-well, to

ing at one end a connection to receive air' act on the material to beremoved an andwater under pressure from said tank,

and at the other end a hammer head adapted to strike disintegratingblows against a body of detritus or dbris.

8. In a portable well renewing system, the

combination with a pressure tank, of'a hammer conduit consisting of aseries of pipe sections adapted at one end to receive water and airunder pressure from said tank and a connection to raise and lower it,and having at the other end a tubular, hammer head adapted to strikedisintegrating blows by the fall of the conduit.

9. In combinatiom'an apparatus for re moving material from a well. anair line in the well and a hammer instrumentality, a sourceof air supplyfor acting on the material to be removed from the well and means T formoving the airline hammer instrumentality up and down in the well toadjust its position.

10. A portable well renewing system comprising the following elements:portable hammer and pressure medium conduit instrumentalitiesinsertable' in and removable from a well and adapted to deliver blowsmechanism between the power unit, and the compressor unit.

11. The herein described method of renewing oil wells by the'removal-ofaccumulated detritus or debris, consisting 1n the presence of a quantityof water in the well i more or less submerging the detritus or debris;in the application of heavy blows by a hammering instrumentality againstsuch.

detritus or debris; in imparting movement to said hammeringinstrumentality by an,

actuating instrl'imentality; in introducing against and {amongst thedetritus or debris a pressure medium by a conduit instrumentality'; indischarging fragments of such detritus ordebris upward, through'and outaccompanying such fragments with quantities of water also acted onby'said pressure medium; in supplying said pressure medium to saidconduit instrumentality from a pressure sto rage instrumentality; insupplying the pressuremedium to such storage instrumentality by acompressor instrumentality; in causing the compressor instrumentality tocompress the medium by a power instruinstrumentalities a drafting ormoving agency to impart-portability to them.

of the well by such pressure medium; in-

mentality; andin applying to said several detritus or dbris;.inimparting movement to.said hammering instru'mentality by an actuatinginstrumentality; in introducing' against and amongst the'detritus ordbri's a pressure medium by a conduit .instrumen: tality; in dischargingfragments of such detritus or 'dbris upward,'through and out of the wellby such pressure medium ;'-in accompanying such fragments withquantities of water also actedon by said pressure medium; in supplyingsaidjpressure medium to said conduit instrumentality from a pressurestorage instrumentality through a flexible I connection to follow themovements of the 7 a 14. The herein described method of re- U conduitinstrumentality; in supplying the pressure medium to such storageinstrumentality by a compressor' instrumentality; in causing thecompressor instrumentality to compress the medium by a power'instrumentality; and 'in applying to said several in strumentalities a draftingor moving agency to impart portability to them.

13. The-herein described method of re newing oil wells by the removal ofaccumulated detritus'or dbris consisting in the presence of a quantityof water in the well more or less submerging the detritus or dbris; intheapplication ofheavy blows by a hammering instrunientality againstsuch detritus or dbris; in introducing against and amongst the detritusor dbris a pres sure medium to carry the broken fragments -withquantities of water upward, through,

and out" of the well.

newin oil wells 'consistin .in the re'sence g a A of aquantity of waterin the well more or Y less submerging the detritus or dbris; 1n

the application o f-heavy blows by a hammering instrumentality againstsuch detritus or. dbris; in simultaneously introducing againstand-amongst thedetritus'br debris a fluid under-high press'ure'to aid inloosening up the-mass and. tocarry the broken frag ments with quantitiesof waterupward, f

and amongst the detritus or dbris a presthrou'gh, and out ofthe'well.

15.. The herein described methodlo f is inewing oilwells by the removalof accumulated detritus or debris consisting in the presence of aquantity of water in the well more or less submerging the detritus ordebris; in the application of heavy blows by a hammering instrumentalityagainst such detritus or dbris; in introducing against sure medium tocarry thebroken fragments with quantities of'water upward,- through,

and out..of the well; and in supplying further charges of water to thewell if the quantity of detritus or dbris requires.

16. The herein described method of renewing oil wells by the removal ofaccumulated detritus or dbris consisting in the presence of a quantityof water in the well more or less submerging the detritus or debris: inthe application of heavy blows by a hammering instrumentality againstsuch detritus or debris; in introducing against and amongst thedetritusor dbris a pres presence of a quantity of water in the well more or lesssubmerging the detritus or dbris; in the application of heavy blows by ahammering instrumentality against such detritus .or dbris; inintroducing against and amongst the detritus'or dbris a pressure mediumto carry the broken fragments with quantities of water upwa'rd, through,

and out of .the' well, in supplying'further charges of water to the wellif the quantity of detritus or dbris requires; and in intro-- ducinginto the well washing-out water under pressure to finally cleanse'theinterior thereof.

,18.The herein described method of r'e newing oilwells, consisting inthe presence of .a quantity of water in the well more or lesssubmergingthe detritus or debris; in

the application of heavy blows by a hammering instrumentality againstsuch detritus or 'dbris; vin simultaneously introducing against andamongst the detritus or debris a; fluid under high pressure to'aid inloosening up the mass and to carry the broken fragments with quantities]of water upward, through, and out of the well, and in introducing intothe well under pressure washing out water to cleanse the interiorthereof.

19. The herein described method of re newing oil wells, consisting inthe presence less submerging the detritus or dbris; in the applicationof heavy blow's b a hamagainst'and amongstthe detritus or debris meringinstrumentality against suc detritus or, dbrisy'in. simultaneously.introducing a 'fluid under highpressure to aid in 1oo sen-' ing up themass and tocarry the broken fragments with quantities of water upward,through, and out ofthe well; 'in supplyin' further charges of. water ifthe uantity o detritus or dbris requires; vand in introing-out water tocleansethe interior thereof.

20. The herein described method of renewducing into the well, underpressure, wash-J ing oil wells, consisting in the preseneelof a quantityof water more or less submerging the detritus or debris down in thewell; in the application of heavy blows by a hammerin instrumentalityagainst such detritus or d ris; in the simultaneous introduction through.said instrumentality and against and amongst the detritus or dbris of ablast of air under high pressure to aid in loosening up the obstructionsand to carry off the broken fragments with quantities of water upward,and out of the well between such instrumentality and the well casing; insupplying further charges of water if the quantity of detritus or dbrisrequires and in introducing into the well, under pressure, washing-outwater to finally cleanse the interior of the well.

21. The herein described method of renewing oil wells, consisting indiscovering in a well or supplying thereto a quantity of watersufficient to more or less submerge detritus or debris therein; in theapplication of heavy blows by a sharp hammering instrumentality given analternate lifting and dropping mov tion from andagainst the detritus ordebris effected by a portable power plant brought up to the well; in thesimultaneous introits casing an such instrumentality; in periodicallysupplying further charges of water if the quantity of detritus or dbrisrequires; in introducing into the well, under pressure, washing-outwater through said instrumentality to finally cleanse the interior'ofthe well, such supplies of water being taken from a portable pressuretank brought up to the well for such (purpose; such pressure beingcreated by sai portable compressor; and such compressor being actuatedby said portable power plant.

22. In a method of cleanin a well, introducing a supply of air an waterunder pressure into the well to a predeterminedpoint, releasing the airat said predetermined point and blowing the loose material in the wellat that point out of the well.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

IRWIN L. DUNN.

